EP 1662972 A4 20100825 - ACTIVATED POLYMER ARTICULATED INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF INSERTION
Title (en)
ACTIVATED POLYMER ARTICULATED INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF INSERTION
Title (de)
AKTIVIERTE POLYMER-GELENKINSTRUMENTE UND EINFÜHRVERFAHREN
Title (fr)
INSTRUMENTS ARTICULES A POLYMERE ACTIVE, ET METHODES D'INTRODUCTION
Publication
Application
Priority
- US 2004026948 W 20040820
- US 49694303 P 20030820
- US 19414000 P 20000403
Abstract (en)
[origin: WO2005018428A2] An electro-polymeric articulated endoscope and method of insertion are described herein. A steerable endoscope having a segmented, elongated body with a manually or selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion can be articulated by electro-polymeric materials. These materials are configured to mechanically contract or expand in the presence of a stimulus, such as an electrical field. Adjacent segments of the endoscope can be articulated using the electro-polymeric material by inducing relative differences in size or length of the material when placed near or around the outer periphery along a portion of the endoscope.
IPC 8 full level
A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 1/008 (2006.01); A61B 1/01 (2006.01)
IPC 8 main group level
A61B (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP US)
A61B 1/0053 (2013.01 - EP US); A61B 1/0055 (2013.01 - EP US); A61B 1/008 (2013.01 - EP US); A61B 1/009 (2022.02 - EP US); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01 - EP US); A61B 2017/00871 (2013.01 - EP US); A61B 2034/301 (2016.02 - EP US); A61M 25/0158 (2013.01 - EP US); A61M 2025/0058 (2013.01 - EP US)
Citation (search report)
- [XI] US 2003069474 A1 20030410 - COUVILLON LUCIEN ALFRED [US]
- [XI] JP H07120684 A 19950512 - OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO
- [A] US 2002130673 A1 20020919 - PELRINE RONALD E [US], et al
- [A] US 2003065373 A1 20030403 - LOVETT ERIC G [US], et al
- See references of WO 2005018428A2
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
DOCDB simple family (publication)
WO 2005018428 A2 20050303; WO 2005018428 A3 20060216; CA 2536163 A1 20050303; EP 1662972 A2 20060607; EP 1662972 A4 20100825; US 2005085693 A1 20050421; US 2006258912 A1 20061116
DOCDB simple family (application)
US 2004026948 W 20040820; CA 2536163 A 20040820; EP 04781605 A 20040820; US 48148306 A 20060705; US 92360204 A 20040820